It was announced on Friday May 13th, 2022 during a Press Conference held by Premier Dr. Hon. Natalio Wheatley that Permanent Secretary in the Premier’s Office, Mrs. Carolyn O’Neal Morton has been sent on leave while investigations are ongoing by the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force.
Wheatley said, “Currently, the permanent secretary is on leave, while those [criminal] investigations are ongoing”.
When further questioned on the matter, Wheatley said, “It is not my area of responsibility as Premier so you would have to direct that to the Deputy Governor, and I would prefer for him to answer. The deputy governor told me that she was on leave while those investigations take place.”
Additionally, when asked on the position of the “rogue” officer identified as Director of the International Affairs Secretariat Najan Christopher who wrote and released a letter from the Premier’s office without authorization to which Premier Wheatley later denounced.
Premier Wheatley said, “The Deputy Governor would be the best person to give an update on that but as I have been told, that officer has been on leave from the Premier’s Office while the investigation ensues.”
His Excellency Governor John Rankin recently announced that he had instructed the Commissioner of Police Mark Collins to assume numerous criminal investigations into various government departments and entities as recommended through the Commission of Inquiry report.
More to come as the story develops.